Atop the floating fortress, which had yet to take flight.
The gazes of countless noble young ladies shifted back and forth between the incomparably handsome and noble Ice Prince, Elvin, and the mysterious, powerful, and alluring Mr. Mo Yuan.
Their eyes were filled with disbelief that these two were actually coming to Su Nian’s defense?
Envy, jealousy… all sorts of complex emotions fermented wildly in the hearts of these noble girls.
‘This Miss Su Nian must be absolutely delighted right now, isn’t she?’
However, there was no joy to be found on Su Nian’s side.
She had previously discussed with Amy and Lise that she should look at other exceptional men more often.
Perhaps it would help balance out the “Horned Demon Favorability” that continued to climb.
The Third Prince, Elvin — whether in terms of status, appearance, or his gentle and elegant temperament — was undoubtedly a top-tier candidate.
However the extremely possessive horned demon bastard was right beside her…
She didn’t dare show even the slightest hint of interest or closeness to the Third Prince in front of her master.
The consequences of that…
In an instant, a terrifying image flashed through Su Nian’s mind.
She saw herself being tied up by the horned demon and thrown into a dark, damp basement to suffer “harsh torture” day and night.
Or perhaps, this pervert would reveal her hidden secret in front of everyone — that the widely revered Magic Girl Idol, Su Nian, was actually nothing more than a canary he kept imprisoned in Shadowmoon Manor to play with at his whim.
‘No… no matter which one it is, I can’t bear it!’
She thought back to her “tragic” experiences since she had transmigrated…
First meeting the horned demon, being defeated, and suffering a humiliating transformation.
She refused to yield, fought again, and lost again.
She refused to yield…
She accumulated strength and meticulously planned her revenge, only to lose again.
Until the battle at Blackstone Gorge, she was truly defeated!
The feeling of being grabbed by the throat by the Horned Demon Lord and being unable to breathe still left her with a lingering fear.
At the very least, before she accumulated 100 million Humiliation Value and ascended to godhood, she should be a good girl and stop seeking death.
Immediately, Su Nian turned her body slightly, skillfully avoiding the Third Prince’s probing and appreciative gaze.
Instead, she took the initiative to step a few inches closer to Chu Tian — currently known as Mr. Mo Yuan.
“I did encounter some trouble. Thank you, Mr. Mo Yuan,” Su Nian said.
She looked at the horned demon, her expression showing a hint of happiness as a smile blossomed on her exquisite face.
Then, she used her actions to demonstrate her “position” by standing right next to him.
At the same time, she didn’t completely ignore the Third Prince’s words.
There was no need to completely offend a prince; proper etiquette still had to be maintained.
“I have seen you, Your Highness,” Su Nian said with a slight nod.
However, her cold words carried a clear sense of distance, a sharp contrast to her previous conversation with Mr. Mo Yuan.
For a moment, the crowd on the floating fortress let out another low gasp of astonishment.
Even if this Mr. Mo Yuan was mysterious and powerful, and even if his appearance and temperament faintly overshadowed the Third Prince…
Prince Elvin was the legitimate Third Prince of the Red Maple Kingdom, after all!
This Su Nian actually… ignored the Prince’s goodwill so subtly?
Chu Tian’s handsome face remained calm and expressionless, but a nearly imperceptible trace of satisfaction flickered in his dark, deep eyes.
The curve of his lips seemed to tilt up slightly as well.
Although he tried his best to suppress it, he could not hide his pleasure.
‘Hmph, my little wildcat has finally learned to be a bit more obedient.’
It seemed that tonight, he could consider “rewarding” her for this “sensibility.”
The gentle smile on Prince Elvin’s face froze for a split second.
He naturally heard the distance in Su Nian’s voice and noticed her unconscious closeness to Mr. Mo Yuan.
A faint sense of embarrassment crossed his heart, but it was quickly replaced by an even stronger sense of interest and a desire to conquer.
‘The more unobtainable something is, the greater the sense of achievement when you finally get it, right?’
This Su Nian was even more interesting than he had imagined.
As for that Mr. Mo Yuan…
Those eyes as deep as the night sky, that tall and elegant posture, and that black patterned formal suit that seemed understated but was extraordinary in every detail…
‘Could it be that he also sees the “value” of this genius mage?’
‘Hmph.’
‘He is indeed a formidable rival.’
Elvin’s sharp gaze fell upon the other man once again.
Just then, a staff member wearing the uniform of the floating fortress hurried over and whispered to the Third Prince that all invited VIPs had arrived.
Elvin withdrew his thoughts and regained his royal composure and dignity.
He nodded slightly to the crowd and said in a loud voice, “Everyone, the Winter Festival celebration banquet officially begins!”
As his voice fell…
“Rumble —”
A low and powerful roar came from the bottom of the floating fortress.
It was the sound of the ancient and powerful magic engines being fully activated.
Under the expectant and excited gazes of the countless nobles on the deck, and amid the earth-shaking cheers of the hundreds of thousands of citizens in Academy City below, this grand fortress — symbolizing the peak of human magic and alchemy — slowly broke free from the shackles of the earth.
It rose solemnly and steadily toward the azure sky.
Su Nian stood at the edge of the deck, feeling the slight vibration beneath her feet.
She looked down at Academy City as it gradually shrank.
The rows of houses and crisscrossing streets turned into an exquisite miniature model.
The inexplicable sense of unease in her heart, however, became clearer as the fortress continued to climb…
She instinctively pulled at the wide sleeves of her outfit, which were adorned with stars and moonlight patterns.
Inside her sleeve, the palm-sized chubby chirp, Little Green, rubbed its fluffy little head gently against her wrist, bringing a tiny bit of warmth and comfort.
‘With Little Green here, it should… be fine.’
If some irreversible danger really occurred, Little Green could take her and escape safely even if it had to reveal its true dragon form.
The floating fortress continued to climb until it reached a height where the entire city could look up and see it.
Then, it began to fly slowly around Academy City.
The city below erupted into a frenzy.
Countless people swarmed into the streets, waving colorful flags.
They looked up at the fortress cruising through the sky like a miracle, breaking out into bursts of excited cheers and shouts.
“Look! It’s the floating fortress!”
“Our Academy City will never fall! Long live the Red Maple Kingdom! Long live the human race!”
With such an incredibly powerful floating fortress guarding them, this great city would surely stand forever!
The faces of the people were filled with happiness and pride.
This magnificent floating fortress was the most solid protection in their hearts and the symbol of the kingdom’s glory.
At the same time on the shimmering open-air stage in the center of the fortress, the performance was ready.
Under the anticipation of the crowd, the girls of Magic Feather Fantasy stepped onto the stage.
Su Nian wore the breathtakingly beautiful Star-Moon Embrace performance outfit and stood at the most dazzling center of the stage.
Prince Elvin’s gaze drifted toward her frequently, seemingly intentionally yet unintentionally.
The audience was filled with the elites and celebrities of the Red Maple Kingdom, as well as representatives of various factions.
Fragrances lingered in the air as guests clinked their glasses.
For this Winter Festival celebration, the dance chosen by Magic Feather Fantasy was the Victory Dance, which had been passed down through generations in the human kingdoms.
This musical piece was composed to commemorate the great victory seventy years ago, when the allied human forces fought a bloody battle and successfully repelled the Demon Race invasion.
It had been created with the blood and sweat of a genius musician who had died young, and every note was filled with the power of passion and hope.
As the members of Magic Feather Fantasy took their positions on the stage, their soft and graceful figures were illuminated by the magical lights, making them look like astral goddesses descending to the mortal realm.
Several large photography crystal orbs were already in place, pointing at the stage from different angles to capture every graceful moment of the girls.
One of them was specifically responsible for Su Nian’s close-up shots.
It clearly transmitted her world-toppling beauty and her agile dance moves to the people below the fortress and to everyone watching through magical projections.
The stirring and majestic music suddenly rang out.
The girls of Magic Feather Fantasy danced gracefully to the beat.
Their steps were light yet powerful, filled with classical charm and youthful vitality.
At times, they were like charging warriors; at others, they were like praying Saintesses.
They perfectly interpreted the indomitable and courageous spirit at the core of the Victory Dance.
In the various squares of Academy City, huge magical screens and crystal blocks were simultaneously broadcasting the grand event on the floating fortress.
In the sky was the floating fortress, symbolizing the kingdom’s glory and power.
On the screen was the grand banquet filled with luxury and the inspiring Victory Dance performed by Magic Feather Fantasy.
For a time, the enthusiasm and pride of all the citizens of Academy City were pushed to an unprecedented peak.
Clearly, this Winter Festival, representing harvest, joy, and hope, had been going extremely smoothly so far.
Because of the addition of Magic Feather Fantasy, the public’s enthusiasm far exceeded that of previous years.
Songs and dances filled the air, and everyone shared in the joy.
However, just as the Victory Dance reached its midpoint and the atmosphere was at its most heated and passionate —
“Wooo — wooo — wooo —!”
A shrill, sharp alarm suddenly tore through the night sky.
The magical warning barrier on the perimeter of the floating fortress let out a piercing wail.
The girls on the stage paused their dance, looking around in confusion.
At the same time.
Dozens of huge, twisted figures burning with ominous black demonic flames flapped their wings.
Like hideous ghosts rushing out of the nine depths of hell, they brazenly tore through the thick clouds.
They charged toward the floating fortress at a terrifying speed that was difficult for the naked eye to capture.
“Enemy attack!”
“It’s… it’s the demons…”
A soldier on the lookout tower let out a cry of terror.
Before his voice had even fully faded.
A thick beam of black energy, condensed with a dense aura of destruction, came whistling toward him and struck.
Wherever the light beam passed, the air twisted and wailed.
It violently tore through the outer magical protective shield of the floating fortress.
“Boom —!!!!”
A deafening explosion echoed through the sky.
A massive shockwave, carrying destructive energy, exploded on the broad deck of the floating fortress.
The originally steady deck shook violently and even began to tilt to one side.
Countless elegantly dressed nobles lost their footing and tumbled over.
Instant chaos.
Heart-wrenching screams.
At this moment, all the beautiful scenes were completely submerged.
Crystal glasses filled with fine wine shattered on the ground, and exquisite delicacies were scattered everywhere.
The pure white floor tiles became a mess.
Panic spread like a plague.
Several photography crystal orbs did not stop working, showing the scene of the Demon Race raiding the floating fortress to the entire world.